Training and Trials
by Dancing Spirit1
Summary: AU!!! Mara Jade is 10-years-old and is in training to be the Emperor's Hand. She receives a special mission from the Emperor.
1. Part 1-The Mission Begins

1 Training and Trails  
  
Disclaimer: First off, I'm not making any money with this. This all belongs to George Lucas, Timothy Zahn. So don't yell at me. I don't own it (maybe I wish I did but I don't).  
  
Summary: This is a story during Mara Jade's training as the Emperor's Hand. She is 10 years old in this story. She gets a mission to keep Senator Mon Mothma in line (Or so Palpatine says). I'm not going to tell you anymore. If you want to know more you have to read the story.  
  
Rating: PG-13 (for language)  
  
Author: Mara Jade Skywalker  
  
Posting: Of course, just ask me first. E-mail me at JediMaraSkywalkerSW@yahoo.com  
  
Feedback: I love feedback. So please send any feedback, that you may have, to me. Any comments are welcomes expect for rude and uncalled for comments.  
  
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Mara Jade ran through Imperial Palace trying to get away from one of the caretakers. She hated them. They took all her fun away. She got back to her quarters and shut the door behind her. She looked at the chrono on the wall, she had to go to her Master's throne room. So she headed out to his throne room.  
  
"Come in, my young apprentice." Palpatine said to the 10-year-old little girl.  
  
She stepped into the room and kneeled before him.  
  
"Hello my Master. How are you doing? Well I expect what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Mara replied.  
  
"You may rise." The Emperor smiled as she got up and looked straight into his eyes.  
  
"Now, I wanted to talk to you about your future in the Empire." Palpatine told her.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You have gone through 10 years of training and you are not done. You are never done learning, Mara Jade, never forget that. But it is time to give you what you deserve."  
  
"What do you mean, my Master?"  
  
Mara looked vaguely confused.  
  
"You are now Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand." Palpatine said.  
  
"I am? WAHOO!" Mara yelled.  
  
"MARA!" The Emperor scolded.  
  
"Sorry, my Master. Do you have any new missions?" She asked.  
  
"Yes, of course, my child. I need you to go sneak into the Senate Building and talk to a woman by the name of Mon Mothma. You need to make sure she doesn't get any more power. Or start any rebellions."  
  
"Is she a threat?" Mara asked.  
  
"No. I just want to keep her in line." Palpatine laughed.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. Now, no more questions. Just go." Palpatine demanded.  
  
Mara headed back to her quarters and got ready for her mission. She looked at the datacard that was given to her with the details of the mission. She put the correct clothes and accessories into a bag. She put on a Senatorial outfit over her cat suit. She looked into her mirror.  
  
"Almost ready. Now for the makeup."  
  
She applied blush, cover up, lipstick, mascara, eyeliner, and lip liner. She closed her lip liner and looked back into the mirror and smiled.  
  
"There. Perfect."  
  
"Introducing Senator Laney James of Commenor." She said proudly. 


	2. Part 2-Inside Senate Building

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Inside Senate Building~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mon Mothma stood up in her platform as it rose up.  
  
"This meeting of the Imperial Senate will begin." Governor Tarkin said.  
  
To the right of Tarkin, stood Darth Vader. To the right of Vader, stood Palpatine.  
  
Some Senators started talking about business involving their planets. Mara saw the look Palpatine was giving her and pushed her box forward.  
  
"Excuse me, who are you?" Vader asked.  
  
"Senator Laney James of Commenor. I am replacing the former Senator." Mara said.  
  
"Laney huh?" Garm Bel Iblis said doubtfully.  
  
Palpatine left and Vader gave him a strange look. Vader looked at "Senator James".  
  
"Oh shit." Mara muttered.  
  
Mara could almost see Vader's smile under his mask. Mara growled at him under her breath.  
  
A woman with short, brown hair stood up, "Senator, exactly how old ARE you?"  
  
"10." Mara said bluntly. Vader shook his head.  
  
"Exactly how did you manipulate those people to vote for you?" Bel Iblis's face grew suspicious. "Or did you win at all?"  
  
"A committee must be appointed to investigate such claims, Senator, " Tarkin said.  
  
"I volunteer to run this committee," Bel Iblis said.  
  
"You can't!" Tarkin yelped.  
  
"He just did," Bail Organa stepped in. "You can't refuse a person who has volunteered."  
  
"Well isn't that wonderful, Senator Organa. However, I just did." Tarkin looked at him with contempt.  
  
Organa looked at him coolly. "Then you don't operate within your own laws. Governor."  
  
That shut Tarkin up.  
  
Bel Iblis made a smart comment under his breath. Organa shook his head. Mon Mothma shook her head. One day Garm would get the three of them caught, and then there'd be hell to pay.  
  
Tarkin stood up. "Enough of this foolishness! Meeting is adjourned."  
  
Everyone started to leave and Mara headed to her office.  
  
She shut the door behind her and put her head on the desk. Somebody knocked on the door. Mara swore loudly. She got up and opened the door. There stood Senators Bel Iblis, Mon Mothma, and Organa.  
  
"Senator James, we'd like to have a chat with you," Organa said.  
  
"Alright." Mara said cautiously. "Come in."  
  
"What's your opinion of the Empire?" Organa said.  
  
"Why? Do you see problems?"  
  
"Yes. The whole thing, its existence." Bel Iblis said.  
  
"Don't you?" Mon Mothma asked.  
  
Mara decided to make use of this opportunity.  
  
"Yes, of course." Mara could head her master's anger.  
  
"You're not alone in that, Laney." Organa said.  
  
Mon Mothma looked at Garm and Bail. "I'm ready to trust her."  
  
Bail was silent.  
  
Garm snorted. "It's your head. Don't show the other signatures."  
  
Mon Mothma handed "Laney" a piece of paper. "Take this. If you sign it, welcome aboard. If not…" She hesitated. "We've trusted you. It's your choice what you do with it."  
  
Mara took the piece of paper and looked up quickly to see them leaving. She recognized it as the Corellian Treaty. Mara had no idea what she was supposed to do. Should she bring this to Palpatine? Risk hearing him scream and probably through lightning at her? Or should she just pretend that she receive it? She hesitated for a minute and looked at the Treaty again. Palpatine more than likely hated her now. Those Senators gave her respect, something she had never gotten before, from anyone. They had ideals, ideas, and knew exactly who they were. She could tell them who she really was, and hope they will still respect her. She could sign the Treaty….  
  
  
  
'What am I thinking?' Mara thought to herself. 'Yes Palpatine is mad at me. I probably will get lighting at me. But I must be loyal to my Master.'  
  
  
  
Mara grabbed her bag and the Treaty. She closed her office door as she left and headed to Imperial Palace. She managed to avoid being seen on her way there. Once inside the Palace, Mara ran into her master's throne room and kneeled before him.  
  
  
  
"Rise, Mara Jade." Palpatine said with some spite in his voice.  
  
  
  
Mara rised and pretended she didn't notice his spiteful voice.  
  
  
  
"I have gotten three Senators to trust me as Laney James. One of them, Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrilia, gave me this." Mara said handing him the Corellian Treaty.  
  
  
  
Palpatine looked at it and then looked up at Mara.  
  
  
  
"Well done my Hand. Now, you must kill her."  
  
  
  
"Yes my master."  
  
  
  
Mara left to go back to her quarters in the Palace. She was getting ready to carry out the next part of her mission. To kill Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrilia.  
  
  
  
Mara found out that she had left Coruscant and was being hid on Alderaan. By Organa, it had to be Organa that was hiding her. Mara left Coruscant as quickly as possible. Mara would NOT fail her mission or her master.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On Antibes, Alderaan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Mara stood behind the door of the room where Mon Mothma was in. Mara quietly snuck into the room and had her blaster ready in her hand.  
  
  
  
She jumped out of her hiding spot and pushed the trigger of her blaster………  
  
  
  
The shot rang through Mara's ears. It was loud but not as loud as the security alarm that went off. Mara panicked as she finally realized that Mon Mothma wasn't dead. Mara had failed. She wasted too much time. She had forgotten one of the most important rules. She knew it and Palpatine did too. She knew Palpatine was pissed, that much was certain. She ran. She had no other choice. She got into her ship and flew away. She had just barely gotten away. Palpatine was truly angry. Mara couldn't go back to Coruscant. She blew it. Mara looked at her maps of other systems. She knew that Palpatine wouldn't let her come back to Coruscant unless she could prove herself worthy of the title that she was given.  
  
Mara smiled as she turned the Jade's Fire around. She was the Emperor's Hand and she would deal with whatever fate had in store for her, whether it was lighting or otherwise. She would prove herself worthy.  
  
  
  
THE END 


End file.
